Dairy products group says rising raw milk prices and constrained consumers put it under pressure during the first half of its financial year Dairy products group Clover complained that it was squeezed between the rising raw milk prices due to the drought and consumers unable to afford higher food prices during the first half of its financial year.
The group reported overall revenue grew 2.1% to R5.1bn while aftertax profit declined 9.6% to R198m for the six months to end-December.
Clover offered its shareholders the choice of receiving a 24.21c cash dividend — maintained at the same level as in its 2015 interim results — or the equivalent in shares.
Clover’s raw milk sales nearly halved to R7.76m from R13.48m in the matching period.
Total production during 2016 is estimated to have been 1.4% less than during 2015," Vorster said.
DFSA will initially be a wholly owned subsidiary of Clover, but it intends to broaden its ownership in due course.
Clover will purchase milk from DFSA at the average national milk price at which DFSA purchases the raw milk from producers.
This should result in the unfounded speculation that Clover is favouring profitability over the interest of producers (and vice versa) being dispelled," Clover said in January.
To reduce its dependance on dairy products, Clover acquired 51% of an olive oil and balsamic vinegar producer from AECI.
Competition authorities had approved the deal, which was expected to be concluded on April 1, Clover said on Wednesday.

However, among references to snow drought, we observe conditions that reflect a lack of winter precipitation or a lack of snow accumulation during near-normal winter precipitation We propose a new classification to differentiate “dry snow drought” from “warm snow drought.” These two uses of snow drought have different scientific underpinnings and different implications for water supply forecasting and management.
Despite large differences in the amounts and timing of winter precipitation, the snow water equivalent (SWE) in both regions was less than average.
Snow drought in the Pacific Northwest reflected a lack of snow accumulation due to warm temperatures that increased rainfall and melted snowpacks, despite near-normal precipitation.
With less precipitation and warmer temperatures, streamflow in the Sierra Nevada lacked both large winter flows and its usual spring snowmelt pulse and fell to extremely low levels early in the summer.
However, the same term, snow drought, was used to describe snow conditions in both regions.
Defining and Quantifying Snow Drought We propose more precise terms to distinguish between the two different snow droughts observed in the Pacific coast states in winter 2015: dry snow drought for precipitation-driven snow drought and warm snow drought for temperature-driven snow lack.
If the SWE and precipitation are nearly equal (SWE:P is close to 1) and SWE is below normal, winter precipitation must also be below normal, and the lack of SWE is likely a reflection of low precipitation—a dry snow drought.
During a dry snow drought, streamflows are low, and inflows to reservoirs are reduced all year long.
In the case of the Oroville Dam, water managers are currently battling with a reservoir that is now filled to (and beyond) capacity but that contained only 46% as much water on the same date in 2015 in the midst of the snow drought described above (and only 30% as much water by water year’s end).
The (Unknown) Hydrological Effects of Snow Drought The definitions of warm and dry snow drought help to frame science that is fundamental to water management challenges facing snow-dominated regions: Which form of snow drought (dry or warm) is likely to dominate in different areas under future climate scenarios?

Catholic organization in Ethiopia to combat drought and food shortages.
For example, hundreds of children can’t eat breakfast before walking for more than two hours to get to school.
Mgsr.
John Kozar, from the "Catholic Near East Welfare Association," went to Ethiopia to be close to the smallest and the elderly.
President of CNEWA "CNEWA is priviledged to help in very modest ways, but I think at the same time significant ways.
We provide cookies.” The CNEWA is a papal agency that has been helping churches and people in the Middle East, West Africa, India and Eastern Europe for more than 90 years.
Mgsr.
They don’t have anything, but the purest values: love and sharing with others.
Something that struck Mgsr.
President of CNEWA "The incident that touched me the most: one little girl took a bite out of her cookie and then reached out and then offered it to me.

Somalia declares ‘national disaster’ over drought.
Somalia’s new leader has declared a national disaster for a prolonged drought that has forced about half of the country’s population to seek urgent food assistance and sparked fears of a potential famine.
The announcement on Tuesday by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s office came a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that Somalia was at risk of its third famine in 25 years – the last one in 2011 killed some 260,000 people.
inRead invented by Teads EXPLAINER: What is a famine?
UN: $4.4bn needed to prevent famine ‘catastrophe’ According to WHO, more than 6.2 million people – half of Somalia’s population – needed urgent humanitarian aid, including almost three million who are going hungry.
IN PICTURES: Drought in Somalia – Time is running out Al Jazeera’s Fahmida Miller, reporting from Dolow in southern Somalia, said she spoke to a number of refugees and internally displaced people.
She said trying to get the assistance was near impossible because of threats from al-Shabab," she said.
"People here are losing livestock; rivers and water points have dried up; and there is a huge issue around internally displaced people and refugees moving through Somalia looking for food and water," Miller added.
"As the rainfall is expected to stay low, there have already been a number of failed crop seasons, and people can’t grow their own food and have to move through the country looking for assistance."
Crisis in the Horn of Africa: Somalia’s Famine – REWIND Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

WHITE MOUNTAINS — Only a small portion of the state in the Verde River watershed is still listed in drought by the Arizona Department of Water Resources as of Dec. 31, 2016.
Heavy snow on the Colorado Plateau has led to the removal of moderate drought across Navajo and Apache counties, and even the southwest has seen improvements with an area of severe drought upgraded to moderate drought across most of Yuma County.
Forty-four percent of the state is out of drought and 0.61 percent is in moderate drought.
To help put it into perspective, Lyman Lake near St. Johns in Apache County was at low levels for the last several years.
Show Low Creek is flowing at 123 percent (36 cubic feet per second) its average in about five years.
And just because the White Mountains get a lot of rain and snow, in comparison to other parts, does not mean people do not need to conserve water.
Average snowpack in the Central Mogollon Rim, Little Colorado-Southern Headwaters and Upper Salt River Basin areas that supply much of the southern part of the state with water are running at 85 percent of average, 89 percent of average, and 62 percent of average respectively.
Clearly, NOAA officials are playing it careful with predictions about the drought until they have a better idea of what is coming this year and years to come.
"Runoff in the White Mountains was not as good as it could have been this year," he said.
Newlin also said climate change is a factor and will be in years to come.

Cairo, 27 February 2017 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is scaling up its response in Somalia to provide critical health services for 1.5 million people currently affected by severe drought conditions and a worsening food crisis.
However, the Organization urgently requires US$ 10 million as part of the United Nations appeal for the first 6 months of 2017.
The humanitarian situation in Somalia continues to deteriorate, and there is a high risk that the country will face its third famine in 25 years.
More than 6.2 million people – half of the total population – are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, including almost 3 million facing a food security crisis.
Nearly 5.5 million people are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases, more than half of whom are women and children under 5 years of age.
Acute drought in many parts of Somalia has reduced the availability of clean water sources, and the food crisis has given way to malnutrition.
Drought conditions have increased the spread of epidemic-prone diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea, cholera and measles.
In the first 7 weeks of 2017, over 6000 cases and 65 deaths by acute watery diarrhoea/ cholera have been reported, and a total of 2578 cases of suspected measles were reported as of September 2016.
“Less than half of the population in Somalia has access to basic health services.
For more information: Rana Sidani Senior Communication Officer Direct: +20 2 22765552 Mobile: +20 1099756506 E-mail: sidanir@who.int

Afghan capital’s thirsty residents dig deep to combat drought, overuse.
A growing population is straining water supplies in Afghanistan’s capital, forcing those who can afford it to dig unregulated wells ever deeper to tap a falling water table.
Several unseasonably dry winters, with little rain and a dusting of snow, have exacerbated the problem.
Heavy rain and snow this year has raised hopes that groundwater can be replenished, at least for a while.
People who can afford it usually dig a well rather than depending on the city’s limited water system, but they are having to go ever deeper to reach the receding water.
The depth of a well varies across the city, but Khan said many residents are being forced to dig 10 to 20 meters (32-64 feet) deeper than in the past.
Officials say well digging has spiraled out of control, with little or no regulation of how the ever more scarce water is exploited.
Yelani said the government was looking to implement a licensing system.
"The government mustn’t allow people to dig deep wells because it has caused many problems," said Mohammad Karim, 60, who said he was too old to carry water up to his home on a hill.
"The poor can’t dig deep wells, but that doesn’t mean they should die of thirst."

2017 Asia spring forecast: Winter to linger from Russia to Turkey; Drought may build in southern India.
Spring will get off to a slow start over much of northern Asia and in part of the Middle East, while more typical conditions are in store for most areas farther to the south and east.
Meanwhile, drought conditions may worsen in southern India, while the potential exists for abnormally dry conditions in part of Southeast Asia.
Additional storms will bring locally heavy rain and mountain snow from Turkey and the northern Caucasus region of Georgia and southern Russia to the Hindu Kush during March and the first part of April.
Much of the southern and western part of the Arabian Peninsula will be dry as is typically the case during the spring.
Drought conditions may continue to build over southern India Spring is typically dry and hot over much of India ahead of the summer monsoon.
"Last year, the western Pacific typhoon season got off to a very slow start," Douty said.
Ample rainfall may diminish in part of Southeast Asia Much of central and southwestern China, Japan and South Korea can expect above-average warmth and typical rainfall this spring.
A portion of the Yangtze River Basin in China will be wetter than average during March and perhaps into April.
If the rainfall from this summer’s monsoon are lean, there is a chance part of Southeastern Asia may meander back toward drought conditions later in the year.

Drought threatens 1.5 million Somalis; UN health agency scales up response.
27 February 2017 – Less than half of the people in Somalia have access to basic health services, the United Nations health agency today said, announcing that it is scaling up its response in the country amid a severe drought and worsening food crisis.
The UN agency said that it is providing “all possible support” to address the ongoing challenges.
That includes sending in rapid response teams to areas of greatest threat.
That includes sending medicines and medical supplies to health facilities in drought-affected areas.
Some 1.5 million people are believed to be affected by the severe drought and worsening food crisis.
In addition, the drought conditions are causing epidemic-prone diseases to spread.
These include cholera and measles.
The UN has launched an appeal for $825 million for the first half of 2017 for the pre-famine response.
Of this, the health sector requires $85 million, including $10 million for the WHO.

Somalia: Puntland region hit by severe drought.
Over 75 families most of them pastoralists live here.
Almost 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN children’s agency has warned.
These families were displaced after most of them lost all their animals to the current drought.
"At this moment what we need most is water and food.
Over six million Somali’s, about 50 percent of the country’s population, have been affected by the current drought.
At the Garowe General Hospital Stabilization Center operated by Save the Children International, an eight-month-old girl – Habiba – has been admitted with acute malnutrition.
People are dying from avoidable conditions like dehydration and malnutrition," he said.
This has led to thousands of people migrating to secure areas and some living in IDP camps.
The only education they get in IDP camps is the informal Islamic teaching -Madrassa Humanitarian organizations are operating in a tense environment forcing more people from insecure zones to migrate to where aid is available.